


How to get the best FE3H

by lunanoel



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Attempted Murder, Bad Science, Bernie's Dad is referenced but not shown, Byleth just wants to protect their precious baby students, How to Build an Alternate Universe, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Reanimation Ritual, Rhea isn't a fan of humans for obvious reasons, Sacrifice, Self-Sacrifice, Sothis and her children are notoriously bad at making decisions, Time Travel, Twin Byleths, and that death is temporary, i put the warning there but only one person dies, reference to attempted murder, technically, the characterization is bad also for obvious reasons, the fandom can have a little Ghost Byleth as a treat, what if we saved ALL the children?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:23:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22640149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunanoel/pseuds/lunanoel
Summary: Byleth has lived through the events of the game countless times in differing forms and has become unhappy with watching their students die for a war they believe could be prevented. So they decide to take fate into their own hands...in the form of a bloody sword.(I thought way too hard about how to keep everyone alive in a no-kill ending and this is the result. Writing will be terrible because these are mostly just a checklist of things to do in order to reach the best ending strung together.)The first chapter has been edited to better reflect the Cindered Shadows DLC
Relationships: Jeralt Reus Eisner/My Unit | Byleth's Mother
Comments: 52
Kudos: 69





	1. Step 1: In 1180, Bring Back the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Edit: Edited the first chapter to better fit the new DLC, so DLC spoilers ahead!

The year is 1180, and the evening is mostly quiet. While the majority of Garreg Mach was lost to the world in slumber, some still wandered the halls; The training hall was filled with the familiar sounds of sword against sword as Dimitri and Felix sparred, attempting to tire themselves out of insomnia. Claude and Lysithea were once again pulling all-nighters in monastery secrets and crest research respectively. Sylvain had just returned from a night on the town, reeking of heavy perfume and covered in love bites. Even Bernadetta was taking the opportunity to silently explore the monastery without fear of social interaction. 

Among the many with eyes wide open was Professor Byleth, who had their own plans for the evening. They were currently in the Holy Tomb, having slipped past the guards during a shift change. The amount of attempts Byleth had tried in previous loops had caused them to memorize the guard schedule, which made the act of breaking and entering child’s play for the goddess’s vessel.

They stopped at the throne of Sothis, looking over the materials they’d acquired for their plan; The Sword of the Creator was sheathed on Byleth’s belt, with the Chalice of Beginnings and bags of holy blood dangling off the other side. One might question what the professor was thinking of doing with that much blood, or how they’d even acquired it, which was precisely why they hadn’t invited anyone to this procedure; no one would truly understand the pain that had brought Byleth to this point other than their self.

They couldn’t remember when they began to notice the loops, though they seemed to remember everything else in perfect detail. They began waking from a dream with Sothis, they would end up at the church, and they would lead one house to victory while the others perished on the battlefield. Every loop came with its own improvements, of course; Byleth’s knowledge carried over and made them develop faster and communicate more clearly. But these blessings came with a terrible curse; Byleth was never able to alter the destined paths. Sothis had said this much to them hundreds of times now, and each lecture brought them deeper into despair.

The most terrifying revelation, of course, was that all the students could not be saved. This was an obvious fact, as Edelgard’s declaration of war is what sparks the deaths of so many others, and so siding with or against her would lead to tragedy regardless. And it had, so many times. They did as much as they could to recruit students, keep them close and protect them from harm. They always ended up alive and happy at Byleth’s side, though that peace would be ruined with the start of the next loop. They could not bear the weight of their sorrow for these children, forced to fight and die and do it all again, not for much longer at the very least. Something had to be done to protect them once and for all; and if Byleth couldn’t accomplish this feat, then they would have to get Sothis herself to do it. But first, they’d need to return her to this plane of existence.

The Rite of Rebirth could only work with a vessel and a soul, something Byleth had learned when they'd first discovered the Abyss. The ceremony had only been attempted twice now, both times ending in horrific failure. But they did not have too many options, and they had a feeling that they knew what made the previous attempts so unsuccessful. They placed the Chalice of Beginnings onto Sothis' throne and removed the Sword of the Creator from its sheath, reaching for the blood bags next. The blood was surprisingly not difficult to get; Byleth was very charismatic, to the point they could get anything out of anyone. Balthus, Constance, Hapi, and Yuri were happy to give small amounts of blood to Byleth over several loops, each time believing they had only done so once. One of the few benefits of this endless cycle of violence was that things didn't really go bad, which allowed the blood they obtained to collect and stay fresh. Byleth took the bags and began to pour the blood into the chalice, watching it fill to the brim with blood. The chalice began to glow softly, and Byleth then took some of the mixed blood and poured it over the Sword of the Creator, continuing until all the blood had been used and the sword was an ugly crimson. The last step would definitely be the hardest part, but it was the most necessary. If the plan worked, Byleth could just keep trying again and again until it did, but they felt like it had to. They took a deep breath, took the sword into their hand and-

...and the blood, bones, and heart of Sothis met once more.

========================================================================

When Sothis awoke, laying sideways on her throne, the first thing that came to mind was the crick that she’d felt form in her neck. That wasn’t really a surprise, her throne was made of stone and her head wasn’t exactly at a good angle. Her next thought, of course, was that she probably shouldn’t be able to form such a thing given that she’s _dead_ ...or at least, she _was_ dead. As with most things that occured in her existence, Sothis decided to take this change in stride. Getting up from the throne, she looked around to see if anything was out of the ordinary. That was when she noticed Byleth’s body on the floor, their soul floating above it. They looked upon her with a small smile, happy despite the situation they were currently in, and they spoke.

“You’re finally awake.”

“Why am I alive again, Byleth?” There was no disdain or anger in her voice at the concept of her resurrection, but there was also no sense of joy. There was only curiosity.

“I cast a resurrection spell, and it exchanged your life for mine.”

Sothis scoffed. “You honestly believe your life and mine are of equal worth?”

“Of course not.” Byleth replied, suppressing a chuckle. “But I believe that my status as your vessel filled the requirements needed, thankfully.”

“Right...so, why did you resurrect me? You couldn’t have thought my presence would bring peace this late in the timeline, did you?”

“Certainly not, but…”

“But?”

“If we were able to be here at an earlier time, then maybe we’d be able to stop at least some of the tragedy that’s befallen us.”

It didn’t take long for the dots to connect in Sothis’ mind, and she laughed. “Using the power of the Divine Pulse? Haven’t I told you before, child; one cannot change fate if it was meant to be.”

“I’ve changed fate before, at least to some extent. You know this as well as I do.”

“Then why would you even need to resurrect me? You know how to use the Divine Pulse.”

“My power is far weaker than yours; I can only use the Divine Pulse in combat, reversing a few minutes at a time at most. I theorized that, at full strength, you could travel much further than that.”

“Hmm...I suppose I could try.” Sothis began to focus her energy, preparing for their next leap. “But I won’t be able to travel too far. If I want to keep you by my side, we will only be able to go as far back as your birth.”

“That means...I’ll be able to see my mother before she dies.”

Sothis smiled as she finally released the power she’d been building, her last words before the pulse echoing in Byleth’s mind.

“ _If_ she dies.”


	2. Step 2: In 1159 Save Sitri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We gotta save mom you guys
> 
> Forgive my poor understanding on how cells work, I am not a doctor or a scientist.

The year is 1159 and, as the world shifted from the 19th to the 20th of the Horsebow Moon, a goddess emerged from the Holy Tomb. The spirit of Byleth had disappeared from her side, but Sothis wasn’t bothered by the absence; she knew exactly where they would be. 

It wasn't difficult to reach the medical wing of Garreg Mach; The security wasn't high in the evenings, and Sothis had centuries of practice in going unnoticed. The excitement in the air was almost palpable, as Sitri was pushing through labor with The assistance of Rhea and a single midwife. Jeralt was grumbling in his quarters next door, not allowed to view the birth (in case something went wrong) because he wouldn't be useful in the process. The hallway was empty and quiet, allowing Sothis to observe the birth unnoticed.

The last countless times this event took place, Sitri sacrificed her life and Sothis' heart for the sake of Byleth. This selfless decision spiraled into terrible tragedies that the former vessel could never have known about. But things were different now; Byleth's soul was that of many, and they were certainly powerful enough to survive a labor once...maybe even twice.

"It's...twins! A boy and a girl!" The midwife confirmed, gently putting the babies into Sitri's arms. The poor woman was exhausted from the effort, but she was still able to smile as the two children cried for her. What once took 21 years came within 5 minutes; the tears of the two Byleth were truly a sight to behold. But while Sitri and the midwife looked pleased, Rhea seemed to stay neutral.

"Twins…" her mind was wandering, obviously wondering who she would make the next vessel for Sothis. It took a few minutes for her to mentally decide, and the goddess knew she had to interrupt before anything could happen.

"How fortunate." Rhea froze in her tracks, turning towards the door as her mother walked in. Sothis gave her daughter a quick smile before she looked back towards the newborns and their mother. "They look quite healthy, thankfully."

Sothis knew that something must've reacted in Sitri (most definitely the crest stone), because she seemed unsurprised at the goddess' sudden appearance. Her smile brightened, warm as the sun.

"They're beautiful, aren't they? I'm happy they were able to live." She pulled the babies closer to herself, comforted as they quieted down. "My constitution has always been weak, so when I learned of my pregnancy, I was concerned with their chances at life."

"May the goddess' blessing be upon them." The irony of that statement passing through Sothis' lips didn't escape Sitri's notice, and she laughed as the goddess drew in closer. "Now, I believe that you have something that belongs to me."

"Oh? I suppose I've been borrowing it for some time. It's become quite attached to me though, I'm not sure I'll be able to part with it so soon."

"Hmm…" Sothis paused, concentrating to observe the crest stone that'd become so ingrained in the delicate woman's heart. "I see your point. It would certainly be difficult for you to remove this on your own...though fortunately, you have me to assist."

"Would I die from such a procedure? I don't wish to leave my children so soon."

"Worry not, I promised them long ago that I'd leave you alive and well." Sothis let her hand hover above Sitri and began to pool power into it. "It may sting a bit, however. Rhea dear, would you mind holding the babies for me? I'd hate for them to get hurt."

"Of course mo- I mean...sister." The lie was quick and not well thought out, but Sothis expected this type of planning from her children by now. Rhea held the twins, one in each arm, and stepped back as her "sister" used magic to slowly and carefully extract the crest stone. 

The process was through rapidly aging or turning back time on cells, allowing them to move out of the way of the stone's path. She'd had to pause time on the new mother a few times so that blood or other fluids wouldn't spill out dangerously, but by the end Sitri's body was perfectly pristine, and in better shape than it had been before. The issue with keeping a powerful rock inside your body is that it tended to violently reject anything it wasn't compatible with. It would've been smart to remove the stone when Sitri hadn't shone an affinity for it, but Rhea wasn't exactly the type to think about the consequences of her actions.

_ 'Well, like mother, like daughter I suppose' _ Sothis thought, vaguely remembering when she taught the humans that would later betray her how to survive. The second after it was fully removed from Sitri, Sothis absorbed the stone into her own body. Two hearts now lived within her, joining together to beat as one.

The night that should've ended with a tragedy became one to celebrate for years to come. Jeralt would come into the room later, exhausted from the long wait, but all seemed forgiven once he held his children for the first time. This was the beginning of a new family, the first happy ending to cross off the checklist.

And the midwife who saw all of this occur was, of course, given a hefty sum to prevent the story from reaching past the walls of the medical wing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next name poll: names for Lysithea's siblings


	3. Step 3: Renovation and Prevention in 1159

The year is 1159 and it is the afternoon of the 20th of Horsebow Moon. As the twin babes sleep in the arms of their new parents, the Archbishop Rhea meets with her…”sister” in the privacy of her office. Sothis sat comfortably on a couch with her daughter curled around her. Anyone who may walk into this seem might be shocked by Rhea’s immature behavior, but Sothis knew better; Seiros would always be her little girl, and that wasn’t something a century of growth could change. In fact, it was something she could use to her advantage.

“Seiros, my beautiful child...now that I’m back, I want to spend more time with you. Is that all right?”

Rhea looked up, her smile beaming. “Of course mother! It’s been so long since I’ve last seen you! I never want to let you go again.”

“And I will never leave you again. I do believe we should make some changes, however…”

“Who must I kill?”

“Not those kinds of changes, dear. I was thinking more of remodeling the Abyss.”

Rhea’s eyes widened. “Who told you about that-uh, I mean, what’s the Abyss?”

“You know what I’m talking about, Seiros. I believe it is quite charitable for you to allow the humans to stay quite literally under your roof.”

“Of course!”

“But they’re also living like mice, we need to improve their living status.”

“Why? They’re criminals! And even worse, they’re humans! The creatures that killed you and our brethren!”

“Indeed, and what they’ve done will boil our blood long after their species goes extinct.”

“Then why would you want to help them?”

Sothis sighed. “Because the child that sacrificed their life to bring me back requested a kind future, and this is one of the steps to ensure that.”

Seiros pondered this statement for a few moments, eyes widening. “Sitri’s children...they brought you back?”

“Yes, and after suffering an uncountable amount of depressing ends, they wanted to bring upon a future where the people they’d grown close to would all survive happily.”

“I see...then I shall do as you ask, and make the Abyss more habitable. Even if it will only allow those wretched humans to fester under us, your return means more to me than anything.”

“Thank you, my child. There is one more thing I must arrange for now, if you are up to it. It may even bring more renown to the church you’ve built.”

“While I don’t exactly see the point of entertaining humans, I suppose it would make things easier for me. What shall I do, mother?”

“In a few years, a terrible plague is going to sweep over the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, killing many who are loyal to you and allowing Those Who Slither in the Dark to place their members in the kingdom’s palace.”

Seiros growled at that. “If I knew the exact location of those dirty creatures, I’d just destroy them all myself.”

“As would I. But through the time loops, I’ve been able to learn several ways of preventing that plague from spreading. This way your church will benefit and Those Who Slither in the Dark will not gain another foothold.”

“Splendid, mother! I’ll be sure to advise their implementation straight away through a letter to the king. While I find humans to be dreadful, the royals of Faerghus are very loyal to my commands.”

“I’m hoping this step will help keep those royals alive and well. Now then...would you like to have some tea? I’ve procured some Angelica for us.”

“Yes.” Rhea smiles. “I’d enjoy that very much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this one was a little shorter! I've been in a writing mood lately. Here's a new name poll: What should the names of the Byleth twins be?
> 
> A) Bylo and Etha  
> B) Byla and Etho  
> C) Bylil and Ethelle  
> D) Lethil and Byelle


	4. Step 4: Rescuing the Ordelias in 1167

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Options A and C ended up tying in the last name poll, so I did a coin toss and Option C (Bylil and Ethelle) ended up winning! Anyways, here's chapter 4! hopefully it'll be a bit more well written than the last one, but we're not exactly going for clarity on this. Enjoy!

The year is 1167, and it is sometime during Guardian Moon. Snow crunches silently under heavy boots as the Knights of Seiros travel into the Adrestian Empire under the guise of night. Their mission will be difficult but very important; they must provide the Ordelia family a safe escape from the Empire to the Church. The rebellion of house Hyrm has ended in the Empire’s favor, with the Ordelia house on the losing side. The Archbishop’s sister (known to be a prophet by the members of the church) had decreed this “a bad omen”, and that some may take advantage of the confusion to perform terrible acts.

When Hanneman had first read the findings that the Archbishop’s sister had brought him, he had a spark of natural curiosity; the idea of someone being able to survive with two Crests was certainly unheard of, and it was something he might be interested in observing himself. This spark was thoroughly dampened, however, by the way the experiments would’ve taken form.

“Using children as lab rats is unforgivable!” Hanneman spat, his grip stressing the papers he was holding. He remembered his sister, used and abused until her untimely demise, and the rage that’d shot into his veins had caused him to join the knights on their mission.

Jeralt was leading the charge, his motivation boosted similarly to Hanneman’s. Alois was also without his trademark positive demeanor, his terrible (hilarious) jokes silenced in favor of focusing on the mission.

The Ordelia house was quiet when they arrived, though they knew it wouldn’t remain that way for long. The family (specifically the countess, her two sons, and her two daughters) was waiting at the door, having been secretly alerted ahead of time. They were all dressed for the occasion; even Countess Ordelia, a woman primarily familiar with the delicate finery and fancy dresses of noble life, was sporting simple and sturdy riding attire. Elara, the youngest child at barely a year old, was kept in a sling close to her mother’s chest. One member of the family, however, was noticeably missing.

“Is everything prepared?” Jeralt talked quietly, so as to not give away their position. “Where is the Count?”

“He is staying.” The countess sighs mournfully, pulling her child a little closer. “‘I must accept the consequences of my actions, but my wife and children must be protected’ he says.”

Jeralt nodded in understanding and organized the knights to keep the family towards the center of the group. It would be some time before they made it back to their camp, where the reserve forces were caring for the horses and preparing them for the long journey ahead.

They had been walking for ten minutes or so before the first arrow flew. Jeralt was quick to react, deflecting the arrow with his shield and barking out orders.

“Enemy attack! Squad A, return fire!”

Four knights stepped off from the group, two Swordmasters speeding towards where the arrow had been shot whilst a Sniper and a Warlock prepared to attack. The rest of the knights moved to protect the Ordelia family; the countess was prepared for the unexpected in the form of a rapier strapped to her side, but it shouldn’t have to come to that.

Another round of arrows was fired, this time injuring the Warlock, who countered with a particularly effective cast of Thoron. One of the two Priests they’d brought cast Heal on the injured Warlock as the battle continued.

It took about a half hour for things to quiet down, the enemy successfully suppressed for now as they made their way back to camp. There were no casualties on the knights’ side, thankfully, but most were injured in the scuffle. One of the Priests had managed to cast a Fortify before they’d pressed onward, but there were still some minor injuries left that the magic hadn’t been able to heal.

The horses were ready on their arrival, the camp quickly dismantled at the initial sounds of their arrival. The Ordelias were split evenly between horses and knights, with the second son being the most excited for the opportunity.

“We get to ride the pretty horsies!” He exclaimed, with his mother quickly hushing his unreasonable volume. The boy’s excitement lightened the mood quite a bit. The ride was long and mostly silent, with brief scuffles here and there. The enemy numbers lessened as they got closer to Garreg Mach, and this brought a sense of relief to the party. They were safe, finally, and they were home.

========================================================================

Bylil and Ethelle didn’t have many friends, besides each other and some of the orphans that lived in the Abyss. Neither of them really minded this all that much; though they weren’t completely aware of them, both had memories of their past life and jumped at any opportunities they had to bond with Sitri and Jeralt. They were eight years old now, which allowed for lots of different activities; when Jeralt wasn’t off on a mission, he’d be taking the twins fishing or showing them proper sword technique. When their father was away, the twins would help Sitri with chores, often baking or sewing, and practiced magic with her. To their surprise, Sitri had more skills in Reason than Faith magic, and her casts of Meteor and Excalibur were a sight to behold...from a safe distance, of course. 

When their parents were both busy, they’d divide social time between their other family members (Grannie Sothis, Auntie Rhea, and Uncle Seteth), along with playing with the orphans down below and spending private time with each other. Their schedules were often too busy for much else, something that caused many rumors to spread about them, but they didn’t tend to mind this. So it was surprising, to say the least, when they received two new playmates.

“These are the Ordelia family.” Auntie Rhea introduced. “They will be staying in one of the homes in the Abyss for some time, so I hope that you’ll treat them well. The two boys are around your age, so play nicely with them.”

The older boy did a small but polite bow, suggesting his (previous) status as a noble. “I am Metis, and I’ll be turning twelve in the summer. I hope we can get along well.”

The younger boy did not have his brother’s manners, quickly running up to the twins and clasping both of their hands in his.

“I’m Themisto!” He said with a slight lisp (he had a gap between his front teeth from where a baby tooth had obviously fallen out). “I’m seven and A HALF! How old are you guys? What are your names? Do you like to play hide-and-seek? What’s your favorite food?!”

“Themy!” his mother chided, holding a babe in each arm. “Calm down and breathe!”

Themisto paused, scowling a bit, before making a big show in taking a breath and continuing. “Do you guys wanna play?”

Bylil and Ethelle looked at each other for a moment, as if communicating telepathically, before turning back to him.

“Okay.” Ethelle said, leading the slightly younger boy away with him as Bylil took a gander at the sleeping children that (former) Countess Ordelia was holding.

“Ah, these are my daughters Lysithea and Elara!” She smiled, allowing Bylil to view them more closely. “They’re both too young to play right now, but someday they’ll be running around the courtyard with the rest of you.”

Bylil smiled when he saw them, particularly Lysithea, but he wasn’t sure why. Even with the Crest Stones removed from their chests, it was harder for the twins to express emotions compared to other children. Their smiles, especially, were never easy to manifest. 

Maybe it had something to do with memories of a life that never happened; maybe it was because, rather than the flash of white he’d (for some reason) expected, Lysithea’s hair was such a pretty shade of pink. He’d never truly know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No name polls this time, though I'm curious what you guys would prefer for the next chapter:
> 
> A. Moving on to the next step in my event list (aka a new written chapter, which I'll get hopefully get started on soon)
> 
> B. Character profiles for the Ordelia family
> 
> For future reference, OCs will be around in the story but there will not be any "OC/Character" endings, so don't worry if you don't enjoy that sort of thing. Any pairings in the story will be "Character/Character" or "OC/OC" (the latter of which would take a backseat in favor of "Character/Character" pairings). I haven't figured out who is being paired with who yet, but I'm sure I'll figure something out by the end.


	5. Step 5: what if we rescue ALL the children? (part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: *realizes most of my steps involve rescuing children/families* I could combine these
> 
> also me: *after writing this much* i require validation so this will be in parts
> 
> This part involves references to shitty people

The year is 1167 and it is sometime during the Garland Moon, the start of the summer and farming season. A little girl is playing quietly in her room, with stuffed toys that have hastily repaired and cracked tea cups. These toys aren’t exactly befitting someone of her stature, but given that her father was the reason for their disrepair, Bernadetta didn’t ask questions and simply made due with what she had. At 5 going on 6, Bernie had learned early on that requests even as minor as new toys or some time outside would only result in cruel and unspeakable punishments. Even the play she was doing now was dangerous, and she wouldn’t have attempted it if her father wasn’t so busy mediating between her grandfather Count Varley and some special guests that’d come that morning.

It was certainly strange for them to be busy this long though; the Count was wise with his earnings and would buy very little from traders or merchants unless they had something truly desirable. Maybe the wares were good quality? She’d wouldn’t really know-

_ Step step step step _

The sound of footsteps brought a sense of dread and anxiety to Bernie as she rushed to put her toys away. She listened for the weight of the steps, light and near silent, and couldn’t recognize whose they were; her father’s steps were usually loud and fast, her mother’s quieter but they had more of a “clack” sound due to her heels. It wasn’t the step of a servant either, they knew the hallways well enough not to step on the creaky floorboards.

The sound of a light knock was followed by a pleasant-sounding whisper. “May I come in?”

“Wh-who are you?” Bernie stuttered, unused to being asked permission. People would normally barge in unannounced, giving her quite the scare.

“Ah, forgive me for not introducing myself; My name is Star, what’s your name?”

“I-I’m...I’m Bernadetta, but mother calls me ‘Bernie’.”

“That’s a wonderful name! Bernie, can I come in? I want to talk to you for a bit, though if you don’t want me to come in, that’s alright too.”

Bernie pondered this for a full minute, the power of this decision weighing heavy on her tiny shoulders. This person was letting her choose...maybe they were lying, maybe they were just going to come in. 

She waited a few minutes more, but the person remained outside the door. Curious, Bernadetta opened the door by a tiny sliver, squinting at the bright sunlight. The girl that stood on the other side smiled at her, lovely green eyes not reflecting any bad intentions. Neither moved as Bernadetta took in the girl’s wild green hair, which was barely restrained in pigtails. She didn’t make any demands of Bernie, letting her take her time in observing the gold accessories she wore and the colorful ribbons that were tied in her hair and on her wrists. When five minutes had passed between them, a tiny voice broke their silence.

“Y-you can come in.” Bernie pulled the door open so that Star could slip through, quickly shutting it to deter any potential onlookers.

“What a cute little room you have, Bernie.” Star said, eyes scanning over the broken toys and tattered books. “You seem to enjoy reading. Do you have a favorite book?”

Bernie’s eyes sparkled, as she began to ramble on about the books she’d read with a passion she wouldn’t normally express. Star didn’t punish or silence the little girl’s words, simply nodding and adding in comments where she could. They were caught up in their own little world, barely noticing the transition from books to toys as dolls were taken out and imaginary tea was served. They didn’t hear the footsteps coming down the hall.

_ Clack clack clack clack _

The door opened without warning and Bernie flinched for a moment, before looking up to see her mother staring back. She sighed in relief; her mother would never hurt her, after all.

“Hello Mother!” Bernie smiled in a way that made her mother pause and smile back.

“Hello Bernie.” Her mother’s gaze found Star’s and went back to her daughter. “I see you’ve met one of our important guests.”

_ ‘...important guests?!’ _ Bernadetta was confused; Important guests wouldn’t visit her, why would they? She was just a little girl after all.

Apparently her emotions were visible, as Star chuckled. “I’m not really that important; my d-big sister is the guest of honor.”

“I suppose so...though, I’m happy the two of you were able to connect. You’re going to be spending a lot of time together, after all.”

Bernadetta’s confusion increased, along with her delight. “We are?”

“Of course. You and I will be staying at Star’s home for some time, after all.”

“...What about father?”

Her mother scowled slightly, though it didn’t seem to be at Bernie. “That man will not be joining us, it’ll be just you and me.”

“Oh...can I bring my books? An-and my dolls?”

“Of course you can Bernie, you can bring anything you want.”

========================================================================

The year is still 1167, and it is sometime during the Horsebow Moon, mid-harvest season. A red-haired boy was “playing” with his younger brother towards the edge of the estate.

“Mik?! Mik, can I please come up now?” His brother screamed, starting to shiver in the autumn breeze. The older boy had pushed the other down the cliff they were playing by, and while unscathed he was having trouble coming back up.

“I told you to climb up on your own! Surely those rocks are climbable.” They would’ve been for Miklan, at the very least; his hands were rough enough from years of sword practice that the cuts from the jagged stones were merely nicks on his skin. Sylvain was another case, having only barely started sword practice despite having turned seven a few months prior; their parents had claimed that Sylvain was simply too important to practice because if he died his CREST would die with him. They were utterly terrified at the thought of Sylvain holding even a wooden sword, and it was only at the younger brother’s insistence that he’d managed to ever hold a hilt.

It shocked and angered Miklan, how Sylvain could deny the spoils their parents threw at him like they were garbage at his feet. The situation he was in now could only have happened because Sylvain had refused to let the servants go with them.

“They always get in the way of playing” He’d grumbled. “They act like I’m made of glass.”

Clearly that decision wasn’t the best, given that he was now below a steep cliff he was failing to climb, tears mixing with blood from his shredded palms.

_ ‘You could leave him here.’ _ He thought. It was a frequent enough thought that he no longer felt startled by it. _ ‘You could just leave him and no one would notice. You’ve done it before, with the well. He might even die this time.’ _

The well incident hadn’t exactly been his best plan, in retrospect; it’d only resulted in a lot of yelling towards him and people pampering “the poor sick young master”. The fact that Sylvain still hung around him like a starved puppy was both mind-bogglingly stupid...and admittedly a bit endearing. Maybe that’s why he finds himself sighing before carefully sliding down the cliff to where his brother was calling out for him. He was met with a tight hug, causing him to stumble for a moment before he righted himself.

“There’s a path not too far from here, we can use it to get back up.” Miklan grumbled, taking a look at his brother’s bloodied hands. He ripped off some strips of cloth from his shirt (that’d get him a lecture for sure, but Miklan didn’t really care at this point), and he wrapped them around the wounds before he led them the right way.

The anger he got from their parents when he returned was definitely not worth the effort, though it was thankfully cut short by someone clearing their throat. Attention was then drawn to the guest that’d come earlier that day, who smiled at Miklan. It confused him, and he found himself bowing politely to her before he could think about it.

“I’m terribly sorry that you had to see such a thing, Ms. Star.” His father apologized, shooting a brief glare towards Miklan for his late introduction.

“It’s quite alright, Margrave Gautier.” Star replied, glancing at Sylvain’s bandaged hands. “I think he’s displayed just the behavior I was looking for.”

“What do you mean?” Miklan questioned, forgetting his politeness in his brief confusion. His father shot him another glare, but Star didn’t seem to mind.

“Ah, I forgot to properly introduce myself didn’t I.” Star gave him a formal curtsy as a greeting. “I am Star, sister to the Archbishop of the Church of Seiros. I’ve been doing some rounds the past few months to find people I believe could become knights for the church...and I think I just found a perfect future candidate.”

Miklan scoffed, of course she wasn’t here for him. “Sylvain is barely a beginner, how could you see something like that?”

“I was actually referring to you.”

“...what?”

“I believe that you have the potential to become a great knight, Miklan.” Star put a hand to his shoulder, emphasizing the impact of her words. “I’ve heard of your prowess from your parents; despite your age, you’re the head of your class. It’d be wonderful if we could have you enroll into the Officer’s Academy in a few years.”

Miklan rolled his eyes. “And why would I want to do that?”

“Because it’s a powerful position that pays well, and it’s not something that just anyone can accomplish. It’s a rare feat, something that’s difficult to be chosen for but very rewarding.”

“...”

“Plus you can probably show off to your family if you succeed.”

“I’ll think about it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before Sothis went out to save the children:
> 
> Rhea: so what's your fake name?
> 
> Sothis: Star
> 
> Rhea:...
> 
> Sothis: Like my nickname, "Fell Star"
> 
> Rhea:...
> 
> Sothis: oh like you could think of anything better
> 
> =
> 
> while I'm rescuing the children poorly, have another poll:
> 
> Are there any particular ships you'd like to see be endgame for this? I'm a multishipper so I have a lot of different scenarios I could go with, but your comments could help narrow that down a lot.


	6. Step 6: what if we rescue ALL the children? (part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, lifting my gaze from an Animal Crossing/Utapri binge: fuck my fanfic  
> Me: *spends the next few days figuring out names for Edelgard's siblings and organizing ships based on the comments and my personal preferences*  
> My brain: this is a lot of work for something you'll probably barely mention  
> Me: shhhhhhhhhh

The year is 1168 and a nine year old girl is traveling alone, having run away from her home in the village of Timotheos. This was concerning for several reasons, not least of which being her age and the dangers of the forest she was travelling in; wild animals and monsters roamed freely past the village gates, and it was only a matter of time before she’d run into one and get herself maimed...like the wolf that had been stalking her for a few miles now.

Anytime she stopped, the wolf would stop with her, and anytime she walked it’d start back up again. Still, the girl didn’t seem concerned by the ferocious animal’s presence and was instead enamoured with the new world she’d found herself in. Hapi had spent her life sheltered, hidden away in a place most had assumed was mere myth. She’d spent her days learning to be a “proper future wife”, cooking and cleaning and sewing with her mother and sisters while the men of her village hunted and crafted. 

It was certainly a “safe” way to live, but Hapi had always found it rather boring. Her interests thrived when listening to the fables the grannies told over the winter months; tales of never-ending oceans and snowy mountain peaks, of magnificent beasts and the heroes that bested them. Hapi listened to their stories with dreams of adventure and a gleam in her eye, every day plotting secretly to escape the village that kept her in a cage of their own ideals.

She chose to escape during the fall, when her family would be too busy with harvesting and preparing for the winter to search for her. It was certainly cruel of her to do, and she’d definitely get an earful if she got caught, but Hapi was far too young to think of the consequences of her actions. She only had one goal in mind; to explore and experience as much as she could.

A week of near-isolation and scrounging for food passed before she spotted another person on her path. This person was unlike anyone she’d ever seen before; the girl was paler than anyone she’d seen in her life, with hair that matched the tree leaves and pale blue eyes that matched the sky above. 

The girl smiled gently at the sight of Hapi, seemingly unsurprised by the other girl’s appearance, and she spoke with a voice as clear as water. “Hello there.”

“Hi!” Hapi blushed at the strange girl that’d appeared before her, before blurting out her next words. “What are you doing out here?”

“I came to fish with my father; there’s a lake by here where the fish is rumored to be very plentiful. Would you like to join us?”

“Sure!” Hapi found herself following the girl to the lake, where a man with light hair was sitting on the grass, putting bait on a hook. 

He looked over to them, smiling at the girl that Hapi had followed. “Ethelle! I’d wondered where you’d gone.”

“Papa!” Ethelle ran over to her father, leaping into his arms as he quickly kept the fishing lines away from her. “I found a friend in the woods!”

“A friend, huh…” The man looked over to Hapi, who approached with caution. “Are you out by yourself? Where are your parents?”

“They’re not with me.” Hapi replied vaguely, her eyes darting away from the man’s observing stare. “I’m on my own.”

“Hmm, must be lonely to be on your own so young. Did you want to fish with us? I’m sure Ethelle wouldn’t mind showing you the ropes. Or, maybe I should say the  _ lines _ .”

The man chuckled as Ethelle groaned at the fishing pun, pulling her new friend to the lake and explaining how to fish while helping her along. Hapi felt strangely embarrassed by the way Ethelle’s body framed her own, guiding her hands to a fair grip and pulling with her as they caught their first fish, an Airmid Goby.

“They don’t taste very good.” Ethelle explained. “But if we catch a few more, we can make skewers!”

The “skewers” that Ethelle described were far tastier than anything Hapi had ever eaten back in the village. Maybe it was the ravenous hunger she felt after barely surviving on berries for so long, but the fish tasted almost heavenly to her.

“Now then, Hapi…” The man’s voice interrupted Hapi’s meal. “Why did you run away from home?”

She swallowed heavily, eyes shifting rapidly. “I didn’t-”

“You don’t have to lie to me, Hapi, I could tell you were a runaway just by looking at you.”

“...I want to be an adventurer.”

“An adventurer, hmm? That’s quite the goal.”

“What, you don’t think I can do it?”

“Hmm…” The man sized up Hapi, eyes equally playful and serious. “I think you could get pretty far, though maybe not alone.”

“Hey, I’ve survived perfectly fine this week!”

“I think the way you scarfed down those skewers says otherwise.”

Hapi growled under her breath. “Whatever, I’m not going to go back now. I’m going to be a great adventurer and explore the world!”

“Interesting, then where are you going to go?”

“To the oceans and the mountains!”

“Hmm, I see. And then where will you go?”

“...What?”

“After going to the oceans and the mountains, where else do you want to go?”

“Umm...well, I...I haven’t really thought about it yet, but that’s not going to stop me!”

“What if you get captured? I don’t suppose a girl your age could defend herself so easily.”

“I’ve been doing just fine, thank you very much!”

“I suppose you have, though I don’t think that’s had everything to do with you.” The man looked behind them, in the direction of the wolf that hadn’t left Hapi’s side. “That mutt over there seems to be the one deterring predators and pushing you towards safer paths, but if it decides to get bored, there’s no telling what could get to you.”

“Pfft, I’m not afraid of animals. They all love me!”

“I wasn’t thinking of animals. Humans are far more dangerous.”

“Ugh, so what do you think I should do? Go back home, where I’ll spend the rest of my life caged away?”

“If that’s what you want to do, I won’t stop you. But you could always come with us.”

“With you guys? Where?”

“To Garreg Mach.”

========================================================================

The year is 1170, and a five year old boy is being carried in the arms of a stranger. He felt like he should be fighting against the stranger’s grasp, kicking and screaming with every fiber of his being, but the urge to fight had left him that morning, when he was carried out of the fiery inferno that used to be his family home. 

He wasn’t sure if the house had been destroyed by enemy fire or as a strategic move from his country’s army, because he was far too young to understand those types of things, but either way it had been reduced to nothing in mere moments. He’d been carried out by his mother, who’d collapsed after they’d gotten a good distance away and hadn’t moved since. He couldn’t understand her stillness, just as he couldn’t understand the tears that left her on the day his father went to join the war and never returned.

He remembered the rest of the day in snippets; Crying over his mother’s (lifeless) form, being carefully picked up once his tears had run dry. Their touch was gentle, soothing as one hand carded through his ash-covered hair.

“You’ll be alright, dear child.” The person’s voice whispered softly, as he fell asleep in their arms. “Where we’re going, you’ll never be hurt again.”

When he next woke, the boy found himself in a bed comfier than he’d ever been in, with a girl that looked around his age smiling at him.

“You’ve finally woken up!” The boy found himself shocked into silence for a moment by the pink-haired girl, whose happy energy threw him off guard. “Welcome to Garreg Mach. My name’s Lysithea, what’s yours?”

“...It’s Cyril.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes there will be a part 3 bc i wasn't in the mood to do the last bit yet but I'm gonna (hopefully it won't take a month). Since I keep putting polls on these, what other things do you guys think are on my checklist of things to fix the storyline? I don't actually have much left but it'd be cool to see if I'm thinking the same way you guys are.


	7. Step 7: what if we rescue ALL the children? (final part)

The year is 1171, and the air in Adrestian Palace is still but suspiciously tense. At least, it feels that way to Manfred as he begins his sword practice. As the crown prince, he was able to see the signs better than most; the voices around him in the past few weeks had become hushed whispers, with papers sliding hands and eyes filling with ill intent. 

Meetings with the Emperor had become fewer and far between, in a way that felt almost intentional, but those rare events allowed Manfred to view the color dimming from his father’s face over time. It felt as though something was eating away at him, an illness maybe? Though if that were the case, surely things would be busier for him and the palace staff. Even if Manfred was only sixteen years of age, he was still the future Emperor, and he would have to be well-prepared for his father’s imminent demise. 

Yet things around the castle were quiet and peaceful. It was so tranquil, in fact, that El (Princess Edelgard) and the Queen Consort Anselma were permitted to tour around Faerghus with only a few guards and Lord Volkhard to guard them. Maybe they were acting as a peace envoy? It’d be advantageous if the Empire and the Kingdom were able to finally strike a partnership. It could even be the first step in uniting Fodlan...still, their rushed exit from the Empire left Manfred with a sour taste in his mouth.

“Something wrong, Manny? Your swings are off.” Manfred snapped back to attention at the voice of his sparring partner and personal guard, Times, as he launched into an attack. 

Times had been assigned to guard the crown prince for only a year, but the two had become fast friends due to their shared love of swordsmanship...as well as another feeling Manfred hadn’t quite put his finger on yet.

“Nothing too concerning, Times, just…”

_ *KLANG* _

“Just?”

_ *SWOOSH* _

“Have there been any snakes slithering around the eagle’s nest?” The coded phrase made Times’ face turn serious for a split second, before he trained it back to a neutral expression and initiated another strike.

_ *KLANG* _

“They do seem to be getting rather close lately, don’t they? We’ve been trying to keep them out but I think they’ve started laying their eggs there.”

_ *KLANG KLANG* _

“I see, have any hatched yet?”

_ *SWOOSH* _

“Not yet…” Times trailed off, giving the side-eye to some passersby. When they were completely out of sight, he put his sword back into his sheath and continued. “But they will soon.”

“That’s troubling...how much time do we have?” Manfred sheathed his sword as well as they began walking back to his room.

“It’d be good to move the eagle eggs out tonight. I’ve acquired some assistance for us, but they’re still traveling. It’d be best to prepare secretly.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to just take out the snake eggs?”

“There’s unfortunately too many to take out in just one sweep, your Highness.” Times gaze shifted once again, this time to the courtyard where the youngest heirs, Prince Penn and Princess Kaethe, were playing in the grass. “The chance of accidentally breaking an eagle egg is far too high.”

Manfred shuddered at the thought.

========================================================================

The sky that night was filled with fire and screaming. 

The attack of “Those Who Slither In the Dark” was quick and ruthless, taking out all that stood in their way. Monsters roamed around palace halls, chasing and killing staff that couldn’t escape their claws and fangs. 

The Queen Consorts fought for their lives against the dark forces, with few succeeding and even fewer surviving.

The Emperor was forced to watch the horrific display from his throne room, unable to move due to the group’s magic keeping him still.

But the Emperor’s heirs, the Princes and Princesses of the Adrestian Empire, were spared. The Knights of Seiros assisted in their escape mere hours prior to the terrifying event. The understanding of their situation was varied, but they all knew that danger was following close behind them that night, as they rode away from the smoke.

========================================================================

A week later, Manfred found himself in Garreg Mach, training similarly to how he was in the Empire not so long ago. Some of his siblings were still in shock from the traumatic event, crying out for mothers and nannies they’d never see again. 

But Manfred had kept himself composed for the rest of them, acting as normal and sparring with Times - no, not Times. “Times”, Manfred had learned, was a mere alias for Metis von Ordelia, though he didn’t appear to change much from how the crown prince had known him.

“I had to hide my identity to enter the palace.” Metis had explained.

“So...was it all a lie?” Manfred startled himself at the question, trying to gain the words to cover it up. Metis replied before he could, a small smile on his face.

“Of course not, Manny. My feelings for you have always been genuine.”

The flush that took Manfred’s face lasted for hours after that meeting, with his sisters giggling at his expression with knowing smiles.

========================================================================

El and Anselma were thankfully saved from the crisis by their absence, but their location was currently unknown; Volkhard had turned up “mysteriously deceased” sometime after the incident, with the Queen Consort and her daughter nowhere to be found. 

It would be a few years before the pair would resurface, with Anselma becoming Patricia, King Lambert’s second Queen Consort. This was originally seen to be controversial in the eyes of the Kingdom, who saw it as a disgrace to the still living first Queen Consort Demeter, before the love story of Patricia, Lambert, and Demeter was published for the masses. Once it was clear that the three loved each other equally, their love became known as one that was “blessed by the Goddess” and their names would be forever left positively in the textbooks of Faerghus’ history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did u like this new chapter?
> 
> Do you have any ideas for what's gonna happen next?
> 
> I've only got about 1-3 chapters worth of steps left, so if you want to prolong the inevitable, I'll take suggestions


End file.
